A digital service agreement is a written agreement between a provider of digital services and a customer that purchases those services. The digital service agreement sets the terms of the contract between the provider and the customer. Users of computer hardware, software or online services must accept the digital service agreements to access the provider's services. Small businesses consent to these agreements to access the information technology services they need to conduct daily operations.

Scope of Agreement

The first section in most digital service agreements details the scope of the agreement. It lists the name of the provider, the services the provider offers within the agreement, and any time limitations on the agreement. This section also typically includes whether and how the provider can change the terms of the agreement, as well as how the customer can confirm compliance with the contract terms.

Provider Services

Another important section of the digital service agreement outlines the services the provider agrees to offer. For example, a digital service agreement for an accounting software package for small businesses would include information on whether the customer can expect the provider to offer instruction on how to install, use and update the software package. If the developer offers these services, the agreement would show when and how the customer can access them.

Customer Registration

Digital service agreements commonly contain a section on customer registration. Customers must register their digital services with the provider, which allows the provider to track their account activity. The registration process enables providers of Internet-based services to determine which user has access to the services at a specific place and time. The registration process also protects both customer and provider from theft, piracy or illicit usage of the digital services.

Pricing Schedule

A key component in the digital service agreement is the pricing schedule. This section presents the payment schedule for the digital services. The payment schedule can be a one-time purchase price, a monthly service fee, a per-item schedule, or a combination of all of these. For example, an Internet-based service plan may include a one-time setup fee, a monthly maintenance charge and additional charges for scheduled software updates.

About the Author

Living in Houston, Gerald Hanks has been a writer since 2008. He has contributed to several special-interest national publications. Before starting his writing career, Gerald was a web programmer and database developer for 12 years. He also started Story Into Screenplay, a screenwriting blog at www.StoryIntoScreenplay.com.